Wind of Change

I was only twelve when this song came to my ears, and I do not forget the moment after our school time, my classmates sung this song and we understand nothing about the lyric. But it was not the issue as we still enjoyed it, together.

That's the past story.

When I read the paper last Saturday morning, I found an article stories about the Berlin Wall. Then somehow this truly meaningful song, again, came over to my mind and whispered with its spirit.

I follow the Moskva
Down to Gorky Park
Listening to the wind of change
An August summer night
Soldiers passing by
Listening to the wind of change

The world is closing in
and Did you ever think
That we could be so close, like brothers
The future's in the air
I can feel it everywhere
and Blowing with the wind of change

Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away
in the wind of change

Reading throughout the article, I just knew this brilliant song marked the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall. It has been 20 years since East Germany have had a taste of freedom and democracy.

Berlin Wall, the physical symbol of the Iron Curtain and Cold War. On November 9, 1989, a peaceful revolution in East Germany had finally cracked this grim symbol of political oppression. It signaled the beginning of the end of Germany postwar division and national unity came less than a year later.

For me, it is more than that. Nothing to be argued that it impressed the symbolic of peace and harmony world.

This wonderful song reflects the genuine wave of hope. Moreover, it optimism that greeted the fall of communism in Europe. How old evils remain, and how a hope came with a glorious moment - peace and harmony long-life for the next generation.

I hope you got my point. Wind of Change, just a simple but a brilliant snapshot of a brief time when anything seemed possible. it is about much more than that if you allow it to be; helping to make the world a better place.

No more war. No more evils. Islam is the peaceful religion.


p/s: Other five tough papers need to be fight, as scheduled. Waiting for the next amazing projects after the exam. Sigh.

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In praise of Islamic Civilization

There was once a civilization that was the greatest in the world.

It was able to create a continental super-state that stretched from ocean to ocean, and from northern climes to tropics and deserts. Within its dominion lived hundreds of millions of people, of different creeds and ethnic origins.

One of its languages became the universal language of much of the world, the bridge between the peoples of a hundred lands. Its armies were made up of people of many nationalities, and its military protection allowed a degree of peace and prosperity that had never been known. The reach of this civilization’s commerce extended from Latin America to China, and everywhere in between.

And this civilization was driven more than anything, by invention. Its architects designed buildings that defied gravity. Its mathematicians created the algebra and algorithms that would enable the building of computers, and the creation of encryption. Its doctors examined the human body, and found new cures for disease. Its astronomers looked into the heavens, named the stars, and paved the way for space travel and exploration.

Its writers created thousands of stories. Stories of courage, romance and magic. Its poets wrote of love, when others before them were too steeped in fear to think of such things.

When other nations were afraid of ideas, this civilization thrived on them, and kept them alive. When censors threatened to wipe out knowledge from past civilizations, this civilization kept the knowledge alive, and passed it on to others.

While modern Western civilization shares many of these traits, the civilization I’m talking about was the Islamic world from the year 800 to 1600, which included the Ottoman Empire and the courts of Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo, and enlightened rulers like Suleiman the Magnificent.

Although we are often unaware of our indebtedness to this other civilization, its gifts are very much a part of our heritage. The technology industry would not exist without the contributions of Arab mathematicians. Sufi poet-philosophers like Rumi challenged our notions of self and truth. Leaders like Suleiman contributed to our notions of tolerance and civic leadership.

And perhaps we can learn a lesson from his example: It was leadership based on meritocracy, not inheritance. It was leadership that harnessed the full capabilities of a very diverse population–that included Christianity, Islamic, and Jewish traditions.

This kind of enlightened leadership — leadership that nurtured culture, sustainability, diversity and courage — led to 800 years of invention and prosperity.

In dark and serious times like this(after 911 incident), we must affirm our commitment to building societies and institutions that aspire to this kind of greatness. More than ever, we must focus on the importance of leadership– bold acts of leadership and decidedly personal acts of leadership.

* Extract from a speech by Carly Fiorina, a chairman of the board of Hewlett-Packard from 2000-2005 and CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 1999-2005. She was named the most powerful woman in business by Fortune magazine from 1998-2003. Currently she is a director at the Revolution Health Group and is on the board of Cybertrust, a large computer security firm.

**It was delivered on 26 September 2001 in Minneapolis, Minnesota at a conference whose theme was: "TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS AND OUR WAY OF LIFE: WHAT'S NEXT"

I got this idea to share the speech when I've already read the latest Hanipa Maidin 's views through his 'prima facie' column (do refer latest Harakah, 6-8 Nov). Me, then googling to find out the actual of frank speech.

It's not a matter for us to being suprised with that. The question is; how good we are in taking responsiblilities (ta'alif) to represent our religion before non-Muslims?

Remember, Islam from non-Muslim views is what they observe about us.

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Top 10 Reasons Students fail

1. Socializing too much

2. Missing classes

3. Poor note-taking skills

4. Failing to get help EARLY

5. Showing up for class unprepared

6. Not previewing chapters before reading

7. Not taking advantage of study hours

8. Cramming for tests, rather than consistent review

9. Failing to review lecture notes

10. Not realizing importance of active listening in class

Source:http://ohs.rjuhsd.us/counseling/docs/Top_10_Reasons_Students_Fail.pdf

Musim peperiksaan. Belajarlah dengan tenang. Elakkan segala tekanan.
Senyum dan riangkan hati. Munajat setiap hari. Semoga Tuhan memberkati.

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Pelajari Adab

Diceritakan bahawa sewaktu Imam Malik r.a. masih kecil, ibunda beliau melilitkan kain serban pada kepalanya seraya berkata: "Pergilah kamu kepada Rabi'ah dan pelajarilah adab dengannya sebelum kamu pelajari ilmu daripadanya."


Al-Imam Al-Habib Abdullah bin Alawi Al-Haddad pernah berpesan : "Dalam berpergian atau permusafiran kamu jangan tinggalkan tiga perkara, iaitu al-kha', al-tho', dan as-shad."

Al-kha' itu khuluqul hasanah, al-tho' itu taat dan as-shad itu siddiq(kebenaran).

Sekian lama tercedera, akhirnya jiwa kembali menemui penawar yang begitu menyentap, menggigit hati dalam-dalam.

Sesungguhnya muraqabah itu perlukan mujahadah yang cukup halus adab-adabnya. Semoga Allah sentiasa rezekikan hikmah dalam hidup seharian kita.

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